Essar Steel asks Sault Ste. Marie city council for $1M

Morning North6:58City councils in the northeast

We brought you some of the discussion held at different city councils in the northeast. In Sudbury a request for an extra $1 million dollars for police services, in Sault Ste Marie, a request for $1 million from Essar Steel, and in Timmins, it was Handi-Transit.One of the biggest employers in Sault Ste. Marie is asking city council for a big cheque.

Essar Steel Algoma is requesting $1 million city tax dollars.

The company says the money will go towards a $363-million upgrade of its steel mill in Sault Ste. Marie, including the re-starting of its No.6 blast furnace.

Essar is also hoping to secure money from the provincial and federal governments, arguing the public dollars will help create hundreds of new jobs.

At last night's meeting, Sault Ste. Marie city councillor Paul Christian had some reservations about the request.

"I don't want to be the fly in the ointment, but I have to ask. Is this going to be the trend now with for-profit businesses, where they need some kind of financial vote?"

City councillor Steve Butland also said he was unlikely to support the request.

But Mayor Christian Provenzano urged council to hold off on the debate until the economic development department has a chance to review the request and bring a report back to an upcoming city council meeting.